YOUR ADVICE IS MUCH NEEDED!

[Scotty LaBeouf]

I want my scrubber to be running off my main drain at a full siphon. Im doing the herbie method. Excuse the terrible drawing hopefully it makes sense, but if i have two ball valves, one before the scrubber to create the full siphon and one after the scrubber instead of a cap to control pressure run through the scrubber will it work and be safe?

 

[chris31759]

You may want to post this question in the algae turf scrubber section. I run my scrubber above the sump and just use a small pump to pump water in from the refugium section and then have the discharge go to the skimmer section. This makes cleaning the scrubber much easier. I don't have to shut down the return pump. In addition, I think the high flow might cut down on the effeciency of the scrubber. Good luck. In theory your design works, I am just not sure if it is the best way to go. Again I am not an expert on scrubbers but I do use one.

 

[human]

+1 to using a small pump, having too much flow won't give the algae enough time to absorb nutrients from the water.

 

[Brandon Rutherford]

+2 on nutrient absorption time.

No completely sure i understand your drawing. Most of the drain from the over flow box will flow through the second ball valve and closing the valve will slow flow and allow a portion of the water to flow into the scrubber? I would be concerned that blockage caused by algae accumulation could cause an overflow or over time make unwanted changes in water flow.

I also wouldn't put a filter post scrubber, you should get a healthy supply of pods living in your algae and don't want to screen out any eggs that might make their way into your DT.

 

[Reefahholic]

You can feed it from the return pump and T off to the scrubber. Just make sure you have a valve to control the flow to the scrubber. As mentioned above, it's more ideal to have a slower flow to achieve better algae growth.

 

[Scotty LaBeouf]

Yea I thought about it that way. My current sump is a stock aqueon 10g, but now im just going to build an acrylic sump to compensate the full siphon to the filter sock and have the scrubber fed off the return in a live rock section of the sump. thanks guys!

 

[chris31759]

If cost is a problem and you want to build your own sump there are lot of great blogs on how to build an inexpensive sump/refugium. I know Pet Supplies Plus has a $1 per gallon sale going on this month. Maybe buy a 20 gallon long or a 29 gallon to use. I like the 20 gallon myself. There are acrylic sump kits being sold on ebay. I don't have a link but they are kind of expensive (around $100) but include a filter sock mount and instructions. A 20 gallon would hold more water than your 10 gallon tank. This can help prevent overflows from your overflow, emergency overflow and return line. In addition, if you are using a loc-line for your return, drill a small hole in the line a little below the water line to create a siphon break. You want the sump to be able to hold all of the water if the power goes out. Make sure the overflow, emergency overflow and the return breaks siphon before things get ugly. A 29 gallon allows more water to overflow but is probably not necessary for your tank and they are a lot harder to work in. Another option is adding a check valve. I would only use a check valve if the display tank was so large compared to your sump that the sump couldn't handle all of the water in a power failure. My thought is that eventually all check valves fail. If you must use one, go with a Greg Wye check valve. By the way great job on the hard plumbing. It's nice not to see any 90 degree elbows in an overflow. One other helpful hint is to put shower pan liner under your sump and run it about 6" up the sides to create an additional safety net. This will save your flooring from any over spray or spills. Home Depot sells it by the foot so it is pretty cheap. It has saved me many times over the years from stupid mistakes and a faulty ATO. Once again good luck and I am impressed that you are asking ideas before hand versus after the fact.

 

[chris31759]

I just looked at your drawing again. Where you have the 90 degree elbow, make it two 45's. This will help eliminate the potential for gurgling. Remember 90's are to be avoided on overflows.

 

[Scotty LaBeouf]

I just looked at your drawing again. Where you have the 90 degree elbow, make it two 45's. This will help eliminate the potential for gurgling. Remember 90's are to be avoided on overflows.

If cost is a problem and you want to build your own sump there are lot of great blogs on how to build an inexpensive sump/refugium. I know Pet Supplies Plus has a $1 per gallon sale going on this month. Maybe buy a 20 gallon long or a 29 gallon to use. I like the 20 gallon myself. There are acrylic sump kits being sold on ebay. I don't have a link but they are kind of expensive (around $100) but include a filter sock mount and instructions. A 20 gallon would hold more water than your 10 gallon tank. This can help prevent overflows from your overflow, emergency overflow and return line. In addition, if you are using a loc-line for your return, drill a small hole in the line a little below the water line to create a siphon break. You want the sump to be able to hold all of the water if the power goes out. Make sure the overflow, emergency overflow and the return breaks siphon before things get ugly. A 29 gallon allows more water to overflow but is probably not necessary for your tank and they are a lot harder to work in. Another option is adding a check valve. I would only use a check valve if the display tank was so large compared to your sump that the sump couldn't handle all of the water in a power failure. My thought is that eventually all check valves fail. If you must use one, go with a Greg Wye check valve. By the way great job on the hard plumbing. It's nice not to see any 90 degree elbows in an overflow. One other helpful hint is to put shower pan liner under your sump and run it about 6" up the sides to create an additional safety net. This will save your flooring from any over spray or spills. Home Depot sells it by the foot so it is pretty cheap. It has saved me many times over the years from stupid mistakes and a faulty ATO. Once again good luck and I am impressed that you are asking ideas before hand versus after the fact.

Hey thanks for all the info! for the liner under the sump im thinking of building an acrylic one with white and red acrylic but if thats too expensive I'll use the alternative. plus I have a BRS swing check valve and are going to use a loc line check valve on top of that. My original plan has changed and im going to run the scrubber off my return so there will be no 90's in the drain now.